Mike's Home Inspector BlogMichael Burfitt |
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Like many in the home inspection industry, I constantly have my ear to the ground looking at new construction techniques, best practices and using my advanced data science skills to keep my knowledge up to date. One way I do this is by regularly looking over our website statistics, particularly how many hits the website gets (we are up 20% from last year!) and what are the most commonly searched terms on our website. They are, in order: #1 Termites This is by far the most popular page on my website and it’s easy to see why: it is the top search result for “Are there termites in Nova Scotia?” and termites are very destructive to wooden homes, which are pretty much all homes in Nova Scotia. While there is still no verifiable evidence of termites in our area, the blog post still stands: termites ARE coming and it’s a matter of when, not if. I do want to point out that a couple of websites have plagiarized sections of my work on this topic. I am honestly flattered and consider it a compliment that my writing on the subject is worth copying. The only thing I will point out is that there are a lot of AI written blogs on this topic that provide false information. Again, contrary to what other sources say, there are NO termites in Nova Scotia as of 2024 but plenty of other WDO (Wood destroying organisms). #2 Oil Tanks: Fiberglass vs Steel Oil furnaces are becoming less common, but they still make up a sizeable portion of my inspections: 30% of the homes I have inspected have an Oil tank, with a 50/50 split on Furnaces and Boilers. All furnaces were at minimum primarily oil powered, but boilers were divided between oil, propane and electricity as their fuel source. While I have learned a lot since I first wrote that blog post, the only thing I would change is to further clarify that every insurance company is different, and I am not privy to their individual policies. My, or any other professional’s opinion is irrelevant to when the insurance company says a tank needs to be replaced: their decision trumps all.
Fun Fact: as of March 2024, the tanks I have inspected have been 71% Steel construction, 29% Fiberglass.
#3 Aluminum Wire Any Doctor will tell you to “never google your symptoms” and this advice can apply to home maintenance related items. A quick search on aluminum electrical wire will scare any new homeowner to put it mildly: it is up to 55 times more likely to burn a house down, insurers frown upon aluminum, it can come loose in the panel, it costs five figures to remove, etc. Here’s the simple truth: aluminum wire is very common, safe when professionally sized (it is usually one size bigger than copper since aluminum has higher electrical resistance) and a great choice for sending electricity a long distance with minimal losses since it is so light. Even the term aluminum is a misnomer: modern aluminum wire is an alloy, which means it has other metals mixed in. What you DO need to be concerned about is a wire known as AA-1350. Essentially, this type of wire was designed for transmission and was a poor choice to use in electrical distribution panels. What the internet doesn’t tell you is that this wire was discontinued in 1972 and rarely used past the mid-70s. It is rare for an electrical system that old to have never been inspected, repaired, or replaced by a professional electrician. Let me summarize it with some hard data from homes that I have personally inspected: % of homes that have aluminum wiring of some form: 100% % of homes that use single strand AA-1350 branch circuit wire (the bad kind): 0% There is a lot of misinformation online when it comes to home maintenance, much of it from those who have a financial incentive to push it. Part of my role as a home inspector is to both point out issues that should be further addressed by a specialist and, more importantly, point out the issues that, while on the surface appear scary, are really not a big deal and all part of routine maintenance all homeowners face. In my experience, Nova Scotia homes are divided almost equally between electric heat, boilers, and furnaces. There are many advantages and disadvantages for each type and a licensed HVAC contractor can provide advice on the best solution for your situation. For those who use home heating oil, you will require the use of a fuel storage tank. There are a few regulations regarding placement on property, acceptable types of piping and materials for the construction of oil tanks. The tanks are usually composed of two materials: steel or fibreglass and can be stored inside or outside. Edit in April 2024: I have enough inspections under my belt to confidently state that the ratio is about 70% steel and 30% fibreglass, at least around Central Nova Scotia. Lifespan of Oil Tanks Steel tanks are generally safe to use for about 20 years and fibreglass for 30+, however, you might need to replace a steel oil tank after 15 years and a fibreglass oil tank after 20 years. Why the difference? Insurance! While rare, an oil spill can cost 5 and even 6 figures to remediate, so insurance companies generally err on the side of caution and require replacement at these intervals. If you are buying a home with an Oil Tank, remember to check with your insurance company to find out what their policy is: we will provide you with the age of your tank provided the data plate is accessible and readable. Steel Oil Tanks
At one point, this was the only choice in Nova Scotia. While they are no longer permitted in some areas, such as Prince Edward Island, they are still in regular use in our province. These tanks tend to corrode from the inside out and can leak without warning. They are also extremely heavy and moving them inside can be difficult and expensive. The big advantage is cost: they are significantly cheaper than fiberglass. Fiberglass Oil Tanks These tanks are lighter, last a long time (unfortunately some insurers still require replacement long before they are unsafe to use) but come with a higher price tag. If insurers extend the timeframe before replacement is required, or the price of ferrous metal increases sharply, this will likely make this type of oil tank the undisputed choice. A Note About Underground Oil Tanks While beyond the scope of a home inspection, I am always on guard for the potentially serious issue of an abandoned, buried oil tank. Compared to other provinces I hear few stories about homeowners discovering them on their property as according to my research it was not common practice in our region due to our geology. As a home inspector, we are always looking for anomalies and seeing a vent and/or fill pipe in a strange place (such as the middle of a backyard) is one sign that would alert us that there may be a buried oil tank that needs to be investigated and remediated. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to have a qualified contractor perform a detailed search. |
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Inside Edge Home Inspections Ltd.
Halifax, NS 902-209-9921 [email protected] Proudly Serving the HRM & Central Nova Scotia |
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